Odd incident frightens girl, 12

April 25, 2014, 10:49AM

04/25/2014

Police are warning teens to exercise caution after an incident that frightened a 12-year-old girl.

The girl was walking her dog about 5 p.m. on Thursday on Rainier Avenue near Sonoma Mountain Elementary School, when she noticed a man in a car that drove past her several times in a tan sedan. The man, and older white male with grey hair, did not attempt to contact the girl or do anything other drive past. Nonetheless, it made the girl nervous and when she saw the vehicle approach again, she hid in some nearby bushes. When the car left, she immediately went home and told her parents, who contacted the Petaluma Police Department.

"While the behavior is suspicious, investigators have not determined that a crime occurred," the department stated in a press release. "However, out of an abundance of caution, this school alert is being issued to inform residents so they can be on the lookout for any similar vehicles or activity."

Anyone with information about this situation is asked to contact the Police Department at 778-4373 or by visiting our website at www.cityofpetaluma.net/police/index.html to report the information via an anonymous tip line.